SHILLONG:
The rain, the windstorm and Shillong’s traffic tried their best to stop lovers of classical music in Shillong from going to St Edmund’s College to listen to a performance by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. But to the weather’s disappointment, the Sultan performed to a packed auditorium amidst unstoppable applause.
The event was attended by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Vice Chancellor of NEHU Prabha Shankar Shukla.
The evening was an initiative of The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY).
The musical evening started with the performance of violinists Dr N Rajam and Dr Sangeeta Shankar, and on tabla was Mithilesh Jha. Against the red backdrop and under the jhoomar, sat these skilled artists who enthralled the audience with their art.
The jugalbandi (“entwined twins” referring to a duet between two musicians) between the violinists and tabla maestro left the audience mesmerised, as it joined Jha’s quick hands on the percussion with continuous applause.
Shillong, always called the “rock capital of India,” had a different story to tell today.
The event also marked N Rajam’s 86th birthday.
The performance was followed by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who was accompanied by tabla maestros Pandit Shubh Maharaj and Pandit Mithilesh Jha.
Before tuning his sarod to strike the perfect chords, he said, “We are here to celebrate the unsung heroes who gave their lives for us and also the heroes who saved several lives during COVID.” He appealed for peace through music and prayed for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia.
His first song was dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. As the chords struck the notes, there were no words, just the aural feeling of hearing Vaishnavo Jana To, a 15th century Hindu bhajan by the poet Narsinh Mehta, followed by the Raga Durga for his second set.
The tabla maestros, Pandit Shubh Maharaj and Pandit Mithilesh Jha, then proceeded to perform a jugalbandi, which left the audience fighting for a winner. For once, there were no words, no evocative lyrics, only the purity of music in the air.
The evening closed with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s 1905 patriotic song Jôdi Tor Dak Shune Keu Na AseTôbeEklaChôlo Re (If No One Responds to Your Call, Then Go Your Own Way Alone) by the Ustad.